This invention relates to a track system for vehicles, and in particular, to a guide wheel for guiding a continuous flexible track of a track system on its path.
Agricultural implements such as tractors, combines and the like are commonly used in agricultural fields for a variety of jobs. Typically, these agricultural implements incorporate tires on which the implement is supported. Since these types of large agricultural implements are quite heavy, the weight of agricultural implements are distributed to a relatively small area on the tires of the implements. As a result, the tires on the agricultural implements tend to compact the soil in the fields. Compacted soil discourages the growth of crops planted in the fields which need loose soil to flourish.
In addition, since agricultural fields are often wet due to rain or watering, agricultural implements which enter the fields become bogged down in the mud due to the fact that there is such a small area of the tire in contact with the soil. As such, it is highly desirable to develop a track system for vehicles which disburses the weight of the agricultural implement over a larger area so as to reduce the compaction of the soil in the agricultural fields and to provide a track with a larger surface area which contacts the soil so as to prevent the agricultural implement from becoming bogged down in mud in the fields.
A prior track system for vehicles is disclosed in Kelderman, U.S. Pat. No. 5,452,949, assigned to the Assignee of the present invention and incorporated herein by reference. The Kelderman '949 patent discloses a track suspension system for a vehicle having a frame and a continuous track. The drive wheel is attached to the frame for engaging and driving the continuous flexible track. The drive wheel has a plurality of drive projections disposed thereon which engage depressions in the rubber track. As the drive wheel rotates, it engages and drives the continuous flexible track. As the drive wheel drives the continuous flexible track about the leading and trailing idler assemblies, the flexible track tends to slide laterally with respect to the idler assemblies. This, in turn, reduces the engagement of the flexible track with the idler wheels which, in turn, may reduce the efficiency of the track system.
Heretofore, the inside surfaces of the idler wheels served to guide the flexible track by contacting the lugs projecting from the inner surface thereof when the track slides to far out of alignment. However, repeated contact of the lugs on the inside surface of the track with the idler wheels may cause damage to the flexible track and/or the idler wheels. Consequently, it would be highly desirable to provide a structure to guide the flexible track on its path around the idler assemblies.
Therefore, it is a primary object and feature of the present invention to provide a guide wheel for engaging and guiding a continuous flexible track of a track system on its path.
It is a further object and feature of the present invention to provide a guide wheel for engaging and guiding a continuous flexible track of a track system which does not damage the track during extended use.
It is a still further object and feature of the present invention to provide a guide wheel for engaging and driving a continuous flexible track of a track system which easily incorporates into the track system.
In accordance with the present invention, a guide wheel is provided for a track apparatus for having a frame; a continuous flexible track having an upper length and ground engaging lower length and an inner surface having a lug projecting therefrom; a drive wheel structure rotatably mounted with respect to the frame and having an upper circumferential portion engaging the inner surface of the flexible track along the upper length and a lower circumferential portion spaced above the lower track length; and an idler assembly attached to the frame and having an idler wheel engaging the flexible track. The guide wheel includes a central hub rotatably mounted to the frame. A first guide wall extends radially from the central hub and terminates at an outer edge. The second wall also extends radially from the central hub and terminates at an outer edge. The first and second guide walls guide the flexible track onto to the idler roller.
The first and second guide walls define a circumferentially extending lug receiving channel in the guide wheel wherein receipt of the lug with the lug-receiving channel prevents lateral movement of the flexible track. The outer edge of the first guide wall has a predetermined radius such that the outer edge of the first wall forms a mating relationship with a portion of the continuous flexible track adjacent the lug. Similarly, the outer edge of the second guide wall has a predetermined radius such that the outer edge of the second guide wall forms a mating relationship with the second portion of the continuous flexible track adjacent the lug.
In accordance with a further aspect of the present invention, a track apparatus having a frame is provided. The track apparatus is mountable on a rotatable axle of a vehicle and includes a continuous flexible track having an upper length and a ground engaging lower length. The flexible track includes an inner surface having a plurality of lugs projecting therefrom. A drive wheel is mountable to the rotatable axle of the vehicle for rotational movement therewith. The drive wheel sequentially engages the plurality of lugs projecting from the inner surface of the flexible track along the upper length to drive the flexible track in response to rotation of the axle of the vehicle. A leading idler assembly is mounted to the frame. The leading idler assembly includes a rotatable leading idler wheel engaging the inner surface of the flexible track. A leading guide wheel is rotatably mounted to the frame. The leading guide wheel includes a circumferentially extending lug receiving channel for sequentially receiving the plurality of lugs therein and guiding the flexible track onto the leading idler wheel.
The track apparatus further includes a trailing idler assembly mounted to the frame. The trailing idler assembly includes a rotatable, trailing idler wheel for engaging the inner surface of the flexible track. A trailing guide wheel is rotatably mounted to the frame. The trailing guide wheel engages the inner surface of flexible track and guides a portion of the flexible track engaging the trailing idler wheel. The leading idler wheel includes a central hub having first and second guide walls projecting radially therefrom. The guide walls define a lug receiving channel in the leading guide wheel. Each of the guide walls of the leading guide wheel terminate at a radially outer edge. The radially outer edge of each guide wheel has a predetermined radius.
Each of the plurality of lugs projecting from the inner surface of the flexible track includes first and second side walls. Each side wall intersects the inner surface of the flexible track at a junction. The junction of each side wall of each lug with the inner surface of the flexible track has a predetermined radius. The predetermined radius of the outer edge of guide wall of the leading guide wheel is generally equal to the predetermined radius of each junction.
In accordance with a still further aspect of the present invention, a track apparatus having a frame is provided. The track apparatus is mountable on a rotatable axle of a vehicle and includes a continuous flexible track having an upper length and ground-engaging lower length. The flexible track includes an inner surface having a plurality of lugs projecting therefrom. A drive wheel is mountable to the rotatable axle of the vehicle for rotational movement therewith. The drive wheel sequentially engages the plurality of lugs projecting from the inner surface of the flexible track along the upper length so as to drive the flexible track in response to rotation of the axle of the vehicle. A leading idler assembly is mounted to the frame and includes first and second leading idler wheels. The leading idler wheels are rotatable about and spaced along a common idler axis parallel to the axle of the vehicle. A leading guide wheel is positioned between the first and second leading idler wheels and is rotatably mounted to the frame. The leading guide wheel is rotatable about a guide wheel axis parallel to and radially spaced from the idler axis.
The leading idler assembly includes first and second stub axles rotatably mounted to the frame. Each leading idler wheel is mounted on a corresponding stub axle.
A leading guide wheel includes a central hub having first and second guide walls extending therefrom and which terminate at a radially outer edge. The first and the second guide walls define a circumferentially extending lug receiving void in the leading guide wheel wherein receipt of one of the plurality of lugs in the lug receiving void prevents lateral movement of a flexible track.
The track apparatus further includes a trailing idler assembly mounted to the frame. The trailing idler assembly includes first and second trailing idler wheels which are rotatable about and spaced along a common trailing idler axis parallel to the axle of the vehicle. A trailing guide wheel is positioned between the first and second trailing idler wheels and is rotatably mounted to the frame. The trailing guide wheel is rotatable about a trailing guide wheel axis parallel to and radially spaced from the trailing idler axis. The trailing guide wheel includes a central hub having first and second guide walls extending radially therefrom and which terminate at a radially outer edge. The first and second guide walls define a circumferentially extending lug receiving void in the trailing guide wheel wherein receipt of one of the plurality of lugs in a lug receiving void presents lateral movement of the flexible track.
The track apparatus may also include a mid-roller assembly mounted to the frame. The mid-roller assembly engages the inner surface of the lower length of the flexible track.